Großbottwar (or Grossbottwar) is a town in the Ludwigsburg district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It sits within the Neckar River basin and is located on a tourist route through the Württemberg wine region. The Großbottwar region has been inhabited since at least the Stone Age and was occupied by the Romans. The town itself was founded sometime during the mid-13th century by an alliance of prominent families. In 1971, Großbottwar incorporated the formerly independent communities of Hof und Lembach and Winzerhausen. Unlike most towns in the region, Großbottwar was neither heavily damaged by war nor by urban fires, so there are many old buildings from the 15th through the 17th centuries with original and well-preserved timber framing. The 16th century Rathaus, or town hall, is noted for its half-timber construction and decoratively carved façade. The Stadtschänke, approximately dated to 1434, is the oldest half-timber building in the Ludwigsburg district. Geography Großbottwar is part of the Swabian-Franconian Forest and the Neckar Basin. The city is located in the Bottwar river valley in the north east district of Ludwigsburg. The Bottwar is a tributary of the Neckar River. Thirteen kilometres to the south east is the city of Ludwigsburg, and Heilbronn is sixteen km to the north east. The capital of the Baden-Württemberg region, Stuttgart, is 26 km to the south west. Nearby is Wunnenstein mountain, the highest point of the Großbottwar area, at 394 metres above sea level. History Findings from all of the cultural eras support the view that the Großbottwar area has been inhabited continuously since the Stone Age. The remains of three farms, dated 150–260 CE, of the late Roman period, have been discovered. Around 200 CE, Großbottwar was also the site of a brick factory, referred to as Gaius Longinius Speratus. Bricks formed at this site were stamped with GLSP and examples have been found in Weinsberg and Walheim. The land, documented as "Boteburon", was included in a grant extending the domain of the Fulda monastery in 779. The interpretation of the name Boteburon is unclear. The former village was situated around the church of St Martin and, when first mentioned, was part of the Duchy of Franconia. The town of Großbottwar was probably founded in the mid-13th century, very near the former village, and first described as a city in 1279. An alliance of three noble families of the area founded the town, the Swabian family ,